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too young for bunion and doctor won't help

Posted , 3 users are following.

camilla1986
camilla1986

I've been experiencing foot pain on my right foot since before Christmas which would last a few days and then go away but come back again weeks later. This week the pain is more and throbbing even when not standing or walking. This pain goes from near my big toe down to my heal on the underneath of my foot. I also have pain on the large bone near my big toe when it is touched sometimes.

I finally plucked up the courage to visit doctor but he was very dismissive .

I am 28 years old I don't wear heals or flat shoes. My mum, auntie and grandma all have bunions so my mum thought a logical idea was I could have one too. But when I told the doctor he said I'm too young! My aunties bunion started around my age too.

He just said to take ibuprofen and ibuprofen gel. He couldn't explain why my foot hurt but it wasn't a bunion.

Because my foot hurts alot when walking I'm now walking on the side of my foot to stop the pain which has aggravated an old hip back problem.

Can anyone help please I have two young children to look after.

Thank yoy for any help

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • margaret11268
    margaret11268 camilla1986

    Posted

    Hi Camilla,  Sorry to hear about your foot problems.  I don't want to sound like a "know all" but I feel quite cross with your doctor telling you that you are too young to have bunions (and I'm not at all saying that you have them as I obviously don't know).  My mum and grandma had bunions and mine first appeared when I was 7 yrs old!  I remember it well as in PE, I noticed my big toes were a different shape to everyone else and this was picked up by the school nurse who referred me to the foot clinic, the details of which I won't bore you with.  Also, one of the pupils at my children'se  primary school had an operation to correct her bunions when she was aged 10.  It is more common for them to appear in older age, but there are many young people who have them also.  You should be able to tell from the bone and the shape of it on your big toe whether you have the start of a bunion or not.  Maybe your doctor thought your toes looked normal and was trying to reassure you, but you shouldn't have been told you were too young.  I say all this because I've had a lifelong experience of bunions.  Maybe you should take the painkillers for now or try ibuprofen gel or voltarol gel which are both very good.  If these don't work in the short term, try going to a different doctor.  Having just had foot surgery for something else and other foot issues, I'm currently very interested in foot anatomy and related problems.  Hope this helps.
    • camilla1986
      camilla1986 margaret11268

      Posted

      Thank you Margaret for your reply. I was disappointed in his reply but I have been to see this doctor before and he has the same attitude with anything I've been to him with. He looked at my foot, told me to take my other sock off and role my trouser legs up and stand with my back to him. That was the exam over. I had to ask if it could be my footwear which is a small 1 inch healed leather next boots. He said they were fine.

      That was it.

      I'm not finding the gel or tablets any help at all still in pain.

  • margaret11268
    margaret11268 camilla1986

    Posted

    Just want to add to the above comment that I think its normal when young people have bunions, they tend not to be painful.  This is why I always wore the wrong kind of shoes (high heels, pointed toes etc.) when I was younger as  not having the pain,I thought it wasn't doing any harm.  Now, much older, I know the further damage I've caused and wish I'd stuck to more sensible shoes years ago!  Reading about all the various foot problems on some of these  forums makes me realise how important good footwear is.
    • camilla1986
      camilla1986 margaret11268

      Posted

      I only ever wore high heels or pointing shoes when going out/ special occasion due to a ice skating injury when i was 15 to my back and hip which left me with recurring bouts of pain. Unable to wear tight fitting clothes and heels. I have wore heels once in 7 years I'm very much a sensible footwear girl now days
    • margaret11268
      margaret11268 camilla1986

      Posted

      Sounds like you've been doing all the right things.  I was always a bit silly with footwear and not heeding the warning signs.  I thought the shoes felt comfy at the time, and even though the heels weren't usually very high they certainly weren't suitable for me on long shopping treks or walking to work and standing a lot of the time.  Its trainers for me nowadays except for special occasions.  I do sympathise with your problem and sorry that the painkillers and gels don't work.  Hope you get some relief soon. 
  • susan556
    susan556 camilla1986

    Posted

    Hi Camilla, i think if you can you need to change doctors as you say he has the same attitude about everything else, not good at all is it really. painkillers is ok but you cant live on them, its a proper diagnoses you need. i dont know... some doctors out there! Hope you get this resolved, maybe you will have to go to a private chiropodist for second opionion.

    Sue

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